Saturday, April 29, 2017

Earlier,
I posted about beer and trains,about
how brands of beer have been featured on
trains, about beer tasting trains ("Rails to Ales"), and a bar that
brings beer to its customers using G Scale trains.

“The response has been
astonishing,” he says. “I thought people might like something different, but
it's been truly incredible.”

He hastens to add “I'm
not a pro at model railroading by any means. This is just a simple single line.
No switches, yards, crossings, etc.

"But I think the fact that it's different
and I've concentrated my efforts on detailing the scenery as best as I can has
let people enjoy something that they can themselves do on a relatively limited
budget.”

As for the bar
itself, “I must say that the fact that you can sit at the bar, have a Molson
Canadian (or two) and watch a train pass by under your sleeves is pretty cool,”
he says.

“The glass provides
dust and spill protection, views from both the sides and above and keeps wee fingers
from derailing the train.”

I don't know about you, but that looks to me like a great place to enjoy a cold one, and watch trains at the same time!

Monday, April 24, 2017

When I saw Don Weixl’s photos of his Nitro Pass & Okanagan
Railway, all I could say was: “Wow!”

Don’s talents as a photographer, combined with his fine modelling,
made for some stunning photos of his Great Canadian Model Railroad.

Don started the layout in 1991. It is based on a track plan by
well-known layout planner John Armstrong (published in the February, 1991 issue
of Model Railroader).

The double-deck HO scale layout, which is located in a 12’6 by 15’4
foot room, is set in the 1955-65 period in southern B.C.

The basic plan is a loop-to-loop, but it can also be operated point-to-point.

The mainline run is 120 feet, the minimum radius is 24", and the maximum
grade is two 2 percent.

The lower level is 42 inches
off the floor, and the upper level is 62 inches.

The track is Micro
Engineering code 70 and 55. Scenery is plaster over cardboard webbing, and also
natural rock and sand.

The backdrop are photos Don
took, or hand painted on 1/8" Masonite.

As Don describes it, “the Nitro Pass and Okanagan is a fictional
railway that joins the Canadian Pacific in Grand Forks with Vernon. The CPR has a
partial ownership of the NP&O, and has running rights over the line.”

Don uses the Keller Engineering Onboard (pre-DCC) analog command
control system to operate the trains.

Don’s photos of the layouts of others have been published in the
model railroad press, and his article about how he built the concrete bridge
abutments, tunnel portals and rock sheds on the NP&O appeared in the January,
1997 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.

Don enjoys the artistic side of model building and scenery making.
As a professional photographer, he acknowledges he has “a bit of an advantage
when it comes to taking photos” of his layout.

That may be true, but even a good photographer can’t make a bad
layout look great—Don has done a tremendous job of creating a great model
railroad.

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Jeff’s
layout is an around-the-walls style in a 12 by 34 foot room, with hidden
staging in a separate area (but visible via closed-circuit TV).

Set
in 1938, it features the CPR Sutherland Sub., a 20 kilometre stretch of track
east of Saskatoon.

Scenery
is partially completed. Most of the structures are yet to be finished. (Which is kind of cool, since visitors can get an inside look at Jeff's construction techniques.

Jeff also helpfully posted photos and other information about the towns and area hes is modelling to help visitors see what he is trying to recreate on the layout.

After
I got home, I sent Jeff a note asking if I could post more photos and info
about his layout. Here are his replies.

Why did you choose the
1930s for a time frame?

The period from 1936
to 1938 represents the remaining days of early 1900s steam locomotives and
rolling stock. At the same time, the railway was modernizing with larger
locomotives and semi-streamlined equipment.

Why did you choose
that section of the CPR in Saskatchewan?

In the late 1930's
the schedule was changed so that the East and West bound of the
"other" trans-continental train, the "Great West Express",
met in Colonsay every day for 25 minutes.

There were also 14 trains
scheduled a day in 1938; an equal number of freight and passenger. The
majority of train meets occurred in this area.

What kind of traffic
will you represent on the layout?

Aside of passenger
trains, the majority of the traffic will be grain, and commodities like coal
and lumber.

When did you start
construction?

Benchwork was started
in the fall of 2003. Trackwork started in October, 2004.

The
visible area is detailed hand laid code
70 and 55 track. It is handlaid on home cut basswood ties. The minimum radius
on the mainline is 30", with the minimum siding radius set at 26”.

Track in the hidden
staging yards is code 100 Atlas flex track with Fast Tracks switches. In
retrospect, I should have hand laid it too.

Are there any special
challenges modelling that area and era?

Not really—just the
typical scratch or craftsman kit building you’d expect from doing something
this. There is some commercial stuff available, but repainting and lettering
needs to be done because they come lettered for a later time period.

If anyone has more questions for Jeff, leave a message and I will pass it along.

About Me

Click here for a topical index to the blog.
Click here for an index by year to the blog.
Click here for an index of Great Canadian Model Railroads.
Click here for an overview of the layout from the December, 2009 Railroad Model Craftsman.
Click here to view videos of the layout on YouTube.
Click here for a track plan.